According to the United States Census Bureau, the world population is made up of more than 7 billion people. China is the largest populated country in the world with over 1.3 billion people. Due to this overpopulation, it has maintained fear of food, resources and living spaces (International Data Base). The Chinese government then implemented the one-child policy to slow population growth. The one-child policy has effectively prevailed in slowing population growth, but has caused great distress among Chinese families. Matt Rosenberg explains how one of the problems China has faced in recent years is overpopulation. The Chinese government needed to come up with a policy to deal with the growing number of Chinese citizens. China remains the only country in the world where it is illegal to have a brother or sister. China's one-child policy was established by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 as a solution to stop overpopulation. The policy states that parents living in the city survive having only one child. While parents who live in the countryside embrace two children as long as the first is dominated by a girl (Rosenberg). In some places couples could have only one child, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl. One way a family can have two children assumes that both parents grew up without siblings (Impact of China's one-child policy). If a family included a child with a disability, then they could try for another child. This policy is still in place today and continues to be successful in reducing population growth, particularly in cities, but it has also driven many families across the country into desperation (Rosenberg). The government implements the policy by penalizing families......middle of paper...all families wanted to have a son, so they often gave their daughters up for adoption or worse. The one-child policy is still in effect today, but many people believe that government and family planning officials are becoming less strict with this policy. Works Cited Hays, Jeffrey. "China's one-child policy." Facts and details. 2008. Network. March 26, 2011. “Impact of China's One-Child Policy.” Bukisa - Share your knowledge. Webika Ltd, 9 April 2009. Web. 26 March 2011"International Database - Summary of World Population - United States Census Bureau." Census Bureau home page. U.S. Census Bureau, February 11, 2011. Web. March 26, 2011. “One-Child Policy.” Tulane University. December 7, 1999. Web. March 26, 2011. Rosenberg, Matt. “China's One-Child Policy – ​​Overview of China's One-Child Policy.” Geography Home Page - Geography on About.com. 02 March 2011. Web. 26 March.